They Say it's YOUR BIRTHDAY!!

Two members of our original crew are celebrating Birthdays today! 

Happy Birthday to Dad AND Val...

You are so MORBY.

Blitz/Bliss

I could start this off by mentioning that we went through December faster than my family can go through a bag of Fritos... but decided you probably experienced your own holiday blitz/bliss.

This year was a fabulous mixture of new traditions and old. The weekend before Christmas we celebrated with D's family. It was two straight days of games, food, and gifts. I am so blessed to now have TWO families to celebrate with! We had a fabulous time and would all highly recommend the game "Buzz Word" to anyone searching for a new game. I joined in on the family attire and received my first piece of Ohio State gear. I'm proudly rocking it today.

I did make cookies with a friend who is also new to her neighborhood. We made our deliveries and both found success with project "meet the neighbors." I met people in 6 of the 8 houses on my street and ended up receiving return gifts of banana cookies, homemade salsa, and brownie bites. D informed me that this was the first year he has ever received something from his neighbors of two years. I think we've only cracked the ice on this "knowing your neighbors" thing and I am VERY excited about it.

At the advice of several friends, D and I made sure to take a day to try and establish our "own" Christmas. We had great intentions for December 22nd. We made an altered version of our waffle recipe (flour is the same as Bisquick, right?), read from an Advent devotion book, spent a few hours trying to return our yard to the green-less rock pile intended by the builders (I think I pulled a weed that was a foot tall), packed for Texas, payed bills, went out to eat Italian food, watched some Friday Night Lights, exchanged gifts with each other, and read "Voyage of the Dawn Treader" aloud. It was a special first Christmas with our little tree, weeding, Luke 2, the Dillon Panthers, and Aslan.

We flew to Texas on the 23rd and had a whirlwind weekend with my family. Highlights included:

-The Aquarium Restaurant

-The Nutcracker at the Houston Ballet

-Playing: Scattergories, Pit, Racko, Buzz Word, Funglish, and What's Yours' Like?

-Watching Home Movies (Husband of the Year goes to...)

-Time with Cousins and Grandparents

-Honey Baked Ham, Peppermint Cheesecake, Ribs, Egg Casserole, Brie En Croute, Fancy Grilled Cheese :)

-The King's Speech

-Showing D A Christmas Story for the FIRST TIME!

-Watching Clay view the Cardinals/Cowboys game (as he pulled out his hair.)

-Watching Val receive her present from my folks...

-Having someone to fly with (I don't think this will ever get old.)

-Reading "Imperfect Birds" by Anne Lamott

-Singing "Silent Night" by candlelight with my husband and family in church and feeling as if my heart would burst.

I am so thankful for the many gifts of this season and for the King who has come!

Is It Possible To Be EXCITED To Death?

I have been running around practically non-stop like a CRAZY person for the past 3ish days in an attempt to get ready to fly to NASHVILLE tomorrow! I mean, seriously-- crazy. I had Dani on the phone last night as I was walking into Kohls, whispering worriedly that I looked like a complete mental case walking around at 9:00 at night in laundry-day clothes and purple flats talking on the phone in a nearly empty store. AWKWARD. But that's been the story of my life lately, non-stop doing and especially SHOPPING.

Here's a fun shopping story: I tried on clothes at a certain store and when I was about to leave the dressing room I realized one of my earrings had popped off! I looked around my little area as best I could, then shrugged because Eh. In the grand scheme of Val's earrings, these... were not uber special. I get to the NEXT store and again enter a dressing room try on clothes, where I found my missing earring! Twilight Zone, right? Well I will let you venture your guess as to where it was, but first you have to read the rest of this crazy blog entry....

Because the point of all this? Is-- no, Julie. Not to make more records.

The point is tomorrow.

Because tomorrow? This:
(This video was taken the day we got to California in January. The song is "Fly By," which used to be OUR SONG. Too much fun.)

I'M TOO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Because I get to go to Tennessee and be reunited with my ROOMMATES again! It's been WAY too long. Dani's wedding, in fact!

This time? This time we stand with our dear Julie, who so deserves this happy ending (and happy beginning!) with Todd, an awesome guy who is into Glee, which definitely makes him a winner in my book!


ALSO? I get to see my Pal Joey.
















Also? I get to see the blog goddess herself, Miss Annie P.
















I mean...can you even imagine?? Because I sure can't.

Okay, this needs to be all for now! Seriously. The bed? I need to get in it. And see if I can sleep. I don't know HOW though! I'M TOO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!

But first! The thrilling conclusion to The Case of the Missing Earring! When we last left our story, my earring escaped its earlobe home and reunited with me in a completely different store thirty minutes later. How did it come to be there?

Well, if you guessed that it would later be found INSIDE MY BRA, then congratulations. You win! Also: you're super creepy. Why were you thinking about my bra??

The End.

Tasting and Seeing

I'm gushing this morning.  I just can't contain how high, how deep, how rich, how personal the Father's love is for me... for you... for us.  I feel like I took a deep breath and then swam the length of the pool twice and am now internally gasping.  I can't fit in any more air, but I know I need more.

Francis Chan in Crazy Love writes, If my mind is the size of a soda can and God is the size of all the oceans, it would be stupid for me to say He is only the small amount of water I can scoop into my little can.

Foolish indeed.

For my can is full and I am brimming not just from feeding on the Word, but brimming from the fragments of his light that seem to pour into my life through the presence of his people.  It's been everything this week.  It's in opportunities bigger and greater than I could imagine.  It's found in the kindness of strangers, and the love of friends.

I received the call from the theatre this week with at least ten co-workers leaning in to hear the results of my auditions.  (Holy moly was not expecting to end up with a role, much less a good one.)  My joy was overflowing simply because of their joy for me.  The woman on the phone could have told me that I didn't get cast and I would have still walked away from yesterday absolutely and delightfully in love with this, whatever this is.  I saw in that moment how God has skillfully and perfectly woven together my desire for community and his plan for fellowship.  It works when we desire good things, heck,  greatness for those around us, and we relinquish our needs and trust his design.

As I learn to check fear at the door I find that there is nothing, nothing that can keep us from realizing and seizing those works that he prepared in advance for us to do.  (Eph. 2:10)  That power, that freedom, that belief is energizing to every aspect of life.  As I drink my coffee and read a book, or speak to my grandmother on the phone, or sit in quietness as someone waits to hear about their mother in the hospital - there is seasoning to be found in it all.

Let me tell you why you are here. You're here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You've lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage.

Here's another way to put it: You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I'm putting you on a light stand. Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.  (Matthew 5:13-16, The Message)

I can't even put in words all that is stirring within me, but I know that he has gifted you.  He has called and is calling to you.  Shine on church.  Let them taste and see.  Open up.  

I have tasted and I am satisfied.

Nothing's Gonna Stop Me Now

I feel like Ryan Atwood. My world is grey because I am in Chino.* Chino is grey. It sucks the life out of you. People live with mattresses on their lawns. There is no joy in Chino.

On Wednesday I will be Ryan as he steps into a world of color and wonder and sparkles and Cohens. I will be in Orange County.

I will be in The O.C. For real.

More importantly, I will be with Dani. I will be with Julie. It will be the first time all three of us have been together in a year and a half. I will also be with Kisha. It will be the first time all four of us have been together in two and a half years.

I cannot express to you the joy it brings me to finally, finally, have the sisterhood reunited at last. These are my dear friends I navigated the treacherous and wonderful years of college with. My traveling buddies that experienced London and Paris and Rome with me. My lifeline to what is real and true and ….me. We have an infinite number of inside jokes, you cannot even imagine. I think of these girls when I hear about a button, tires, spontaneous combustion, flamingoes (or is it penguins?), toucans (what’s with all the birds, ladies? Oh! Seagulls too, am I right? PERCH!) and any other random assortment of buzzwords that transport me to times of laughter and hilarity.

Kisha, Jules and I have the express honor of standing up at our dear sister’s wedding on Sunday. We knew she would be first, and that she is. She found her One. She found her Adam. I still have no idea how I am supposed to stand there and look pretty and smile as our DaniLin gets her happy ending without COMPLETELY BAWLING MY EYES OUT. Tips, anyone?

I can’t wait. I’m packing, making my lists, running to the store (againagain), and trying to calm myself down from the giddiness that threatens to overtake my sanity. In the midst of sad job loss, sorrow, work insanity, and everything else going on in this crazy life, I can’t believe I get such an amazing sigh of relief. I get to act happy and go to the beach and take crazy pictures and love on my girls and wear a pretty dress and get my nails done and laugh and remember and rejoice.

I’m on my way, blog world! California here we come, Right back where we started from...

“Welcome to the O.C., b....!”

*Note: My life is not Chino. I love my job and my life in Texas. It is actually very colorful here. But for all intents and purposes, these two days before I leave for California are totally Chino.

Blessing your pants off...

"Happy Birthdays to Steve and Valerie!!!! I hope God blesses the pants off your day!" - MOM



That's right - same day. August 28th - Happy Birthday to Val and Dad - wish I could be there to help you celebrate, although I was almost with Valerie as the clock struck midnight last night Texas time. Apparently we were both very tired as EVERYTHING was hilarious at this point. I wish there was a way to explain inside jokes and have them not be lame to the rest of the world, but I will suffice to say that my family are the funniest people that I know and I miss being able to see them on a daily basis.





*If anyone knows why "His skull is on my eye" could possibly be that funny, please let us know.

Centennial Blogging

This is our 100th post! Hooray!

Excitement!

We're really quite good at the hoopla, had you noticed? ;)

Really though, thanks to the 4 or 5 of you who keep up with our fascinating lives. It means a lot, and we're glad you've stuck with us!

Like Clockwork

Ten days until Christmas. I asked my kids tonight how many days were left and it was amazing to see almost all of them light up and scream out the number. I love seeing their excitement over the season and the gifts it brings.

This year as I'm so very far from family and friends it's been a wonderful time to actually celebrate the Birth of Christ. As I tell the story each weekend at church and see my kids learning new portions for the first time I continue to learn right along with them. For the first time in my life (finally!) I truly am more excited about the presents I'm giving and the people I will be seeing than any gift I could possibly receive. I am so blessed to have family to spend this holiday with and a Heavenly Father who has given me the greatest gift of all.

Our Kid Konnect question tonight was, "What is one thing that would be impossible for you to give away." What a question, right? I heard just about every response possible: "my video games, my family, my quad, my dog." All are truthful and thought out answers. Oh, I did have one little theologian who answered "sin." He reasoned that his sin needed to be taken away.

I am so thankful this Christmas for the gift of Jesus, the baby in the Manger who is Ruler of the World and the King of Kings. I am in awe of the poetry used by God in announcing his son. Angels to a 13 year old girl, a confused fiancee, and dirty shepherds on a hill. And then...the Star. The Heavens that have been set like clockwork performed marvelously to proclaim to the world the coming of the King. Somehow Magi in the east caught it and saw the significance of the King Planet Jupiter in Conjunction three times with the King Star Remulus within the constellation of Leo...the Lion. If you really want to stand in amazement this Christmas, spend some time at http://www.bethlehemstar.net/. Although I haven't become an astronomer, I did watch the full 65 minute DVD "The Bethlehem Star" this week. I'm speechless. I've shown clips to everyone at work. Much of the research and information is on the site. It's worth the time. I will leave you with a quote from the author of the site, Rick Larson:

For if the Star wasn't magic or a special miracle from outside of the natural order, then it was something even more startling. It was a Clockwork Star. And that is overwhelming. The movement of the heavenly bodies is regular, like a great clock. The Clockwork Star finally means that from the very instant at which God flung the universe into existence, he also knew the moment he would enter human history in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. He marked it in the stars. And from before the beginning of time as we experience it, God knew the very moment when Messiah would breath his last on the cross.

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6

Turkey a la King

I was talking to my mom today about our plans for Turkey Day this Thursday, or should I say, lack of plans for Turkey day. We are having one set of grandparents over for the main meal at 1:00pm, and then the other set is stopping by on their way back home to East Texas. That grandma was very concerned that she would be disrupting our afternoon plans.

The only common denominator about Thanksgiving in our house regarding "plans" tended to be getting dressed up to eat. I'm pretty sure the time changes, the relatives change, and what we do during the day changes as well. Some years we've gone to see a movie, one year we were on a cruise, football is generally on, and we sit at the table long enough for Grandma Ann to force feed a fifth course of food into my dad.

I always watch those crescent roll commercials with the New England family in their sweaters as they joyously pass the rolls and watch as Father Dear carves the turkey. I've never once seen a whole turkey at our table. We're buffet people. The dishes of food do not end up on the table until Grandma Ann is lamenting once again that no one has eaten anything - crescent rolls aside. I asked last year if we could have the turkey on the table. The response, "Why?" The turkey did not make it to the table except in slices on our plates.

What was I saying? Ah yes, tradition is going out the window this year. That in itself is not that odd since our traditional food does not seem to make it on anyone else's table. The influences of my dad's family were seen on his mothers table with German Home-made noodles (not sure what makes them German except that my German great-grandmother made them), rolls, turkey and wet dressing, cranberry mold from the can chocolate pie, key lime pie, and pecan pie. The other grandparent's, table (mom's family) held turkey with dry and wet dressing, white rice, sweet potato casserole, cranberry relish, asparagus, sometimes that interesting mixture of fruit and whipped cream or something like that (something my siblings and I would never eat), and some other things I can't remember, (did I say rolls? we like bread) and then coffee, and maybe pecan and pumpkin pie and ice cream. No table was complete without that great American condiment, ketchup. My brother, sister, and I have have all put ketchup on our turkey at some point and come to the conclusion that (drum roll)...we're not big turkey fans.

So this year? Fillet Mignon, mashed potatoes (who would have thought?), some form of bread, some form of vegetables, and we are currently debating the desert. Whatever the case, I'm thankful for my family and our own varied form of random traditions...that for at least just this one time, do not include turkey.

"The heavenly aroma still hung in the house. But it was gone, all gone! No turkey! No turkey sandwiches! No turkey salad! No turkey gravy! Turkey Hash! Turkey a la King! Or gallons of turkey soup! Gone, ALL GONE!" - A Christmas Story.

Thank you God for this food.

Llano Drive, the closet under the stairway

When we added the extra story to our house in Plano, we ended up with a little closet under the stairs. The closet had been a small bar with metallic wallpaper that was used for little more than storage. I take that back. There was a faucet and sink that was used to fill up the watering can to water the plants in the atrium.

The small closet had a gradually lowered ceiling and some shelves. The details are a little fuzzy to me now. To get to the door of the closet you had to walk through the utility room and through the small bathroom. The closet may have housed many things, but the only thing I can remember are the soft drinks...the cokes.

Unlike my cousins, we were not allowed to have coke at any point during the day. I can still remember the shock of having a coke offered to me at breakfast. At breakfast?!! I couldn't recall the last ordinary day I had been allowed a coke, much less for breakfast. Cokes were very special in our house, only to be consumed on special occasions: birthdays, celebrations, holidays, as a remedy for a jelly fish sting, etc.

The amazing thing about that little closet was that you could lock the bathroom door and therefore, lock the closet. Thirsty for a coke? Sure. Special day? Not really, but now it is. My brother, sister, and I would go in, lock the door, and crack open a coke. The hard part was the evidence of the coke can. We would shut them in the drawers and hide them behind whatever we could find. I know my mother found random cans from time to time, but I don't remember getting in trouble for the evidence.

That closet was a great addition to the house.